Inspired by the gods, young Silk fights for survival against he shadowy rulers of the city of Viron, who command the technological wonders of the future. Reprint. NYT.
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From Library Journal
Patera Silk, a young priest aboard the generation ship known as the Whorl, finds himself both the unwitting leader of a band of revolutionaries and the pawn of godlike forces trying to reshape a stagnant society. The latest installment in Wolfe's "Book of the Long Sun" series offers tantalizing hints of an ancient history lost to the Whorl's inhabitants. The author continues to prove himself one of the genre's most literate writers and luminescent thinkers. A familiarity with earlier series books is helpful but not absolutely necessary. Most libraries should own this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Recently reissued in one volume as The Litany of the Long Sun, the first two parts of Wolfe's tetralogy introduced the Whorl--a massive, hollow spaceship--and one of its citizens, Patera Silk, a poor cleric struggling to save his church from crime lords. The saga now continues as Silk wins over the local militia to his cause of revamping the government and becomes the first new cald{‚}e--an official wielding both religious and political power--in more than a century. After becoming acquainted with the tunnels and secret political players below the Whorl's inner surface and having regular contact with the "gods" on nearby video monitors, Silk gets a startling glimpse of the Whorl's greater dimensions and gains a real purpose beyond his own limited ambitions. Some may be pleased to notice the links Wolfe here makes to his earlier New Sun tetralogy, while others may find his predilection for rich characterization and cultural detail frustrating. Still, Wolfe's genius for world building has been equaled only in such works as Frank Herbert's Dune series. The Long Sun books represent science fiction at its most impressive. Carl Hays
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Hardcover
As in the first two books of the series, this one limps along at a less than rapid pace, despite being rife with godly possession, swapped body parts, mechanical soldiers, and one priestly space vampire. It was in this book I began to notice Wolfe's need to have his characters talk and talk about what they know (or think they know) and how they came to know it, as well as his tendency to skip important events only to have his characters talk about them later. This is all fine and good, and is all part of that unique Wolfe atmosphere, which is one part 'huh?' and two parts 'WTF?!' I still believe the encompassing story of the Whorl, the "gods" who created it, and where it's going are the hooks in this series. But given its size (over 1400 pages), at each long-winded conversation I couldn't shake the feeling that Wolfe's characters were being paid by the word.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
After first twoo books of the series I really did't expected much. But what I got here totally dissapointed me. Patera Silk again finds himself in countless situations from which he is trying to get out unscarred. The whole world and characters are presented kinda "shy?", and one can not put himself in role of Patera silk, one can not live inside him a live trough his "adventurs". Wolfe, at the end of a novel, invetns a relatively "unknown" method called deus ex machina. He got so tnagled in a web of characters and situations that this was the only way out. How logical? judge for yourslef. Rather plain writing also doesenßt serve this book as a good messenger, yet long conversation which lead nowhere, tedious pace and flatstone characters totally kills this book. I gave it three stars just for the sake of the "old glory". But if you want honest oppinion, do not read this book.
By marc curry
Format:Mass Market Paperback
If it weren't for the astonishing reviews for this series ("telling someone what is great about Gene Wolfe's writing is like trying to tell someone what's great about Mozart's music...") I probably would have stopped reading this book halfway through it. I've been reading sci-fi/fantasy for 25 years. During this time, I have grown to appreciate more literary works. Calde does in fact contain well written, at times transcendant passages, but the story itself is ludicrously overwrought and complex. Wolfe forgets that a good story, regardless of whether it is pulp or artistry, must entertain the reader. Calde was technically proficient, but cold and lifeless. After being mildly disappointed with the first two books, I have continued to read on, hoping that Wolfe's style would click with me. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Probably the best book of the four in the series
The action really picks up in this one. Ultimately, the series is disappointing, though. See my review of the fourth book.
Published on Jan 4 2001 by R. Cusolito
5.0 out of 5 stars
Typical Gene Wolfe: rich in detail, character and confusion
Long awaited sequel in the Book of the Long Sun. The structure of this strange place slowly comes together. Read more
Published on Jun 1 1998 by J. Van Der Sijp
5.0 out of 5 stars
A readable masterpice of a saga.
Some writers are content to have us interested in their characters. Wolfe's style forces us to think and learn to love them. Read more
Published on May 19 1997
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